1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a freestanding adjustable height desk, and more particularly to an offset cantilevered support arm for an adjustable height desk having a right angle attachment bracket for connecting the leg to the work surface.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In modern office furniture, it is common to have an adjustable height work surface which can accommodate the varying needs of different users. In such a system, typically the vertical legs supporting the work surface are height adjustable such as by one member being slidably connected to a second member which is rigidly attached to the horizontal foot portion which rests on the floor. It is important that the bracket which attaches the work surface or desk top to the height adjustable legs be able to support the desk top as well as the weight of any equipment which is placed thereon, such as computers and the like. In addition to supporting the weight of the equipment on the work surface, the support for the table must also conform to certain industry and safety standards required for office equipment.
For example, the strength of the attachment between the leg and a desk top must be sufficient enough such that, when the desk is tilted at a 45.degree. angle on one leg, the desk top does not become separated from the legs. For example, the screws which attach the leg to the desk top should not strip out from the work surface due to the lateral forces. Additionally, another safety test that must be satisfied is the application of a 150 pound side force on the bottom of a support leg, which force is directed inward with respect to the desk. Again, the connection between the table top and the support leg must be of sufficient strength to prevent the lateral forces which are acting on the support leg from causing the desk top to become separated from the support legs. Thus, the support legs must be able to withstand not only the vertical pressure from the weight of the desk top and the equipment placed thereon, but also lateral forces which are typically directed on the work surface and its associated support legs in a normal work place environment.
With a cantilevered C-leg support commonly found in the prior art, a typical means of counteracting these lateral forces imposed on the support legs is by attachment of a brace or other support which rigidly connects the two support legs to each other. This is shown in FIG. 1. In this manner, a horizontal support or brace which spans across the horizontal space underneath the desk top rigidly attaches the two vertical support legs together such that lateral forces acting on one leg can be shared by the opposite leg. Also, weight placed on top of the table cannot force the legs to splay outward since the legs have been rigidly connected by the brace. For a height adjustable desk, the brace is connected between the rigid or non-moving portions of the height adjustment mechanism. Thus, if the brace is also to be used as part of a wire management system, the separation between the desk top and the support brace as it is raised must be taken into account when laying in wires. In this manner, conventional work surfaces have their support legs rigidly connected to counteract these lateral forces or other forces which tend to cause the legs to become separated from the bottom of the work surface.
It is also common to place pedestals having desk drawers or other work space accessories underneath the work surface for convenient use by the person working at the desk. Thus, file cabinets and the like are generally arranged in a pedestal which must fit in the space underneath the desk within the confines of the support legs and brackets. For this reason, it is common for the C-leg support to be a relatively narrow cantilever arm which projects forward. This cantilever arm allows the support legs to be placed towards the back of the tabletop such that clearance for knee swing between adjacent desks is provided. The brace is commonly placed along the back edge of the desk spanning from one leg to the other for maximum knee and pedestal clearance under the front of the desk. Alternatively, a diagonal brace may be connected between a lower portion of the legs and the underside of the desk top toward the middle of the work surface. Although the arrangement can provide the necessary lateral support, it presents certain drawbacks. Since the support brace is generally exposed in a typical open office environment, the brace must be given a decorative finish so as to present an aesthetically pleasing appearance. This adds to the cost and complexity of producing the brace, and hence of the complete desk. And because the horizontal brace is disposed towards the back edge of the desk, it limits the space underneath the desk in that area. Thus, an obstruction is created, for example, when a person wants to sit at the other side of the desk such as when an office visitor pulls up a chair. While a wide cantilever support arm can be used instead, this would further reduce the available area underneath the desk for storage and knee space.
What is needed then is a means of supporting a work surface with a height adjustable leg support which obviates the need for a lateral brace spanning the distance between the opposite support legs.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a relatively narrow support leg and bracket assembly for a height adjustable desk in which the desk is fully supported both vertically and horizontally against lateral forces acting on the leg supports by a bracket which connects each leg to the tabletop without the use of a brace.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a support for a desk top which maximizes the available space underneath the work surface while minimizing the number of elements and cost of the desk assembly.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a lateral support for desk legs which provides greater leg access from both the front and rear of the desk.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide an offset support leg for an adjustable height work surface which minimizes the components necessary to connect the leg to the desk so as to provide for ease of set up and requires fewer parts for shipping.